The Scent of Violets
by blonde-blonde
Summary: When Wolverine assists a young mutant, he is shocked to realise that mutant experimentation is still going on. Better than it sounds I think. Please review, first story. Not sure about rating.
1. Chapter 1

Experiment number 232 grimaced inwardly as her stomach rumbled loudly, complaining about the 3 day fast. She sat huddled against the wall with her head in her hands, refusing to look up despite the cramping in her back as she knew her captors would take this as submission and send in another. Another person to heal, or maybe even an animal. That was her mutation. To heal others. Not herself though, as the researchers had found out when they flogged her two days ago. At least she thought it was two days. It was hard to be sure when she hadn't seen natural light for so long. She wasn't even sure how long she had been in this place. All she knew was that her name was Experiment 232 and her only possessions in the world were a set of dog tags around her neck and a well-used book of human anatomy.

The girl looked up in alarm as the room shook wildly and the red light on the security camera winked out. 232 stood up and went to the door, hesitantly reaching out to touch it. The last time she had tried this she had received a huge electric shock. Her hand shook as she came into contact with the door and she jumped back only to realise nothing had happened. She reached out again, this time with both arms and pulled. The door swung open silently, revealing the dark corridor outside. Quickly, 232 ran back into the cell to grab her precious book and then returned to the corridor without as much as a backward glance. Turning left, the opposite way to the experimentation labs (the way she had never been), 232 arrived at a fork. Coming to a halt she looked first left, then right, seeing no difference in the two routes. Then she realised that her hair was blowing off her face, towards the left corridor. She turned right, running now she was so close to freedom, her bare feet sounding loud in the silence, and eventually came to a door. Panting she pushed the door open to reveal the outside world. 232 smiled as she stepped into the snow. The feeling of happiness felt strange to such a sad and lonely girl, and she found herself hoping that she would experience this feeling a lot more from now on. She ran away from the ugly building behind her, making towards the trees she could see in the distance, instinctively knowing she would be safer there.

By the time she reached the trees she was exhausted. Days of not eating and years of no exercise had made the 10 minute jog feel more like a 10 mile run. Looking behind her, 232 could see that the heavily falling snow was already hiding her trail but she knew the researchers would guess she had come here. So, breathing heavily and shivering violently against the assaulting cold, 232 staggered deeper into the woods, her numb feet starting to cut on the many sharp objects that lay on the floor.

Logan was on his way back to Xavier's school for mutants after another trip to Canada to finally say goodbye to his past when he picked up a mental call from Xavier himself.

"Logan, there is someone who needs help in the woods to your left. Her need is so great that I heard her telepathic cry. Please can you bring her back to the school with you?"

"How do you know I'm coming back to the school?" Logan growled as he stopped the motorbike and wheeled it off the road and hid it in the woods. There was no answer.

"Damn telepaths" he grumbled as he sniffed the air. Smelling nothing he tried again and was suddenly blasted with the scent of female and of blood as the wind changed direction. Running towards the smell, he came across a small, naked body a few hundred yards into the forest. Grimacing at the angry red marks all over her back, he turned her over to find she was in her late teens and very malnourished with long blonde hair. There was blood on her feet and she was freezing cold. Taking off his jacket, Logan wrapped the girl in it and picked her up gently. Cradling the girl in his arms, he heard something metallic. Frowning, he pulled the jacket apart enough to just see something around her neck. Pulling the end of the necklace to see what it was, Logan growled. O the end of the necklace were two dog tags, identical to his except they said "232. Sky" .

When he got back to the motorbike, Logan put the girl down while he rummaged around in his bag for some spare clothes. Finding some drawstring trousers, a t-shirt and a pair of socks, he quickly dressed her before wrapping her up in his coat again. Logan sat on the motorbike and pulled the girl into his arms. Arranging her so that she was in front of him on the bike, but facing him, he wrapped her arms and legs around himself. He started the bike and drove away, keeping an arm around the still unconscious girl, unaware of the frenzied activity at the laboratories on the other side of the woods.


	2. Chapter 2

Logan knew the exact moment the girl awoke by the feel of her breathing against his chest. He also knew the exact moment she realised she was on a motorbike by the way she froze, her breath hitching; and he knew the exact moment she realised she was cuddled against a complete stranger by the way she started trying to get out of his embrace by pushing and kicking.

Logan, struggling to hold the wildcat and keep control of the motorbike, pulled the bike over and held the girl out in front of him to get a proper look at her. Dark eyes met blue as she stopped trying to bite him and looked up at his face.

"Do ya mind darlin?" He growled. "I'm tryin to help ya"

She appeared to consider this. Then her eyes became mistrusting again as she drew her legs up to her chest and tried to leap from the bike.

"Whoa." Logan exclaimed, grabbing her. "Just let me explain will ya?"

The girl stopped.

"I found you in the woods back there. I'm headin' to a school full of people like us. We can help you."

She once more tried to get off the motorcycle.

"Wait" he said. "I know what you've been through."

She stopped halfway off the vehicle and her eyes widened as he pulled out his own dog tags and let her examine them. She ran her fingers over the writing, and then did the same to her own, comparing them. Their eyes met once again as she looked up at his face, as if to check his honesty.

Detecting no trace of insincerity in the stranger's face, she sat back on the bike and wrapped herself around him again.

"I take it your comin with me darlin?" He drawled, amused.

He felt her nod against his chest.

"Right then, let's go." He said, as he started the bike and road it back onto the road to continue with their journey.

A short while later, Logan felt the girl fall asleep once again, and he tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer to him.

"Could the X-men please come to my office", Professor Xavier called telepathically to the minds of his fighting team of mutants, already feeling their presences near his position in the huge school. When Storm, Cyclops, Rogue, Bobby and Kurt had assembled in the professor's office, he began filing them in on the current situation. "Logan is on his way back to the school, he should be here within the hour. " Ignoring the look of surprise on the X-men's faces he continued,

"He's bringing a new mutant with him, a girl. I felt her pain as she was running away from something or someone. I couldn't gain a clear insight into her mind, but I do know that she had not seen the outside for a long time, and that she is in need of our help. Especially as whoever or whatever she running from may be looking for her. I want you all to aid where needed. Please go to the medi-lab when they arrive." At seeing the team's nods of assent, Professor Xavier dismissed them and headed fro Cerebro to check on Logan's progress once more.

Arriving at the school, Logan steered the motorbike into the garage and turned off the engine.

"We're here darlin" He said. There was no response.

"Darlin?" He questioned. Still nothing.

"Great. I guess I'm carryin ya then?" Logan rubbed his face with tiredness, and then got off the bike, pulling the girl's legs from around him and settling her in his arms. He wasn't surprised when he was met in the mansion by Storm and Cyclops. He took a moment to nod at Ororo before scowling at Cyclops.

"What you doin here one eye?" He growled.

"Professor Xavier said you were coming. We thought we'd accompany you to the medi-lab.

"How nice" Logan sneered, leading the way to the elevator, the girl unmoving in his arms. "Who's the doctor now?" He asked, referring to their lack of a medic since the death of Jean Grey.

"Kurt" Ororo answered. "The professor trained him."

Logan nodded his approval as they exited the lift and walked the short distance to the medical bay. Placing the girl on one of the beds there, Logan noticed Scott looking and what she wearing and then glancing at Logan.

"She didn't have any clothes", was his short explanation.

"Vat is the problem" Kurt inquired as he approached the bed. Greeting Logan with a brief smile before getting down to business.

"She's got marks on her back, and she wouldn't wake up when we got here." Logan said, his voice betraying his concern for the young woman.

"Right, please vait outside if you please" Kurt spoke in his German accent.

"I vill let you know ven I have examined her"

Logan, Scot and Storm took one more concerned look at the unconscious girl before leaving the room to talk to the professor who was waiting outside.

TBC……..Please review. I'm not sure about the ending of this chapter. And I need ideas for the next chapters!


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